How to Apply to Economics at Yale: One Admission to Yale College With No Major on the Application, Declaring by the End of Sophomore Year, No Prerequisites for the Major, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Economics at Yale is taught by the Department of Economics within Yale College. The department’s FAQ says the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, not individual departments, decides admission, and that after being admitted to Yale College you may choose to major in economics or in economics & mathematics. This guide follows Yale’s websites and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Business and Computer Science have their own guides on this site and are mentioned here only where they touch economics.

1. Economics degrees and programs at Yale

• The Economics major: the department says 12 credits (11 economics courses and one math course) are needed: one math course; introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics; intermediate micro (ECON 2121 or 2125) and macro (ECON 2122 or 2126); one econometrics course (only ECON 1117, 2123 or 2136); four electives; and two advanced courses, at least one in senior year. The pages we read do not state the degree name (B.A. or B.S.); check the department or the Programs of Study.
• Economics & Mathematics: the department page lists twelve courses beyond the introductory level — seven ECON courses numbered above 2000 and five MATH courses numbered above 2000 (except MATH 4700), including multivariable calculus (MATH 1200), linear algebra (MATH 2250 or 2260), analysis (MATH 2550 or 2560) and ECON 2135 plus 2136 — and a senior requirement of MATH 4800, MATH 4810 or an economic theory seminar. A senior essay is optional.
• Related majors: the department page also lists Computer Science & Economics (a B.S. with fourteen term courses and a senior project) and Ethics, Politics and Economics (EP&E). They are mentioned only briefly here; see the Programs of Study for details.
• STEM designation: the department FAQ says the economics major has the STEM designation, CIP code 45.0603 (Econometrics and Quantitative Economics), which lets international students apply for a two-year STEM extension on top of the standard 12 months of OPT.
• Distinction: to earn Distinction in the Major a student must write a senior essay earning A- or better and earn A- or better in three-quarters of the courses counted toward the major (excluding introductory micro and macro, the math requirement and courses taken outside Yale). The senior essay itself is optional (see Section 8).
• Double majors: the FAQ says there is no joint senior essay between Economics and another major. The double-majors page we read gave no further rules; ask the economics undergraduate registrar.

2. Admission and choosing the major

• No economics major on the application: the first-year short answer asks you to choose up to three academic areas from a list that seem to fit your interests most comfortably, then to write up to 200 words on a topic that excites you; the prompt notes that many students change direction. The pages we read do not say whether your choices limit your later major.
• When to declare: the transfer page says Yale College students declare a major by the end of sophomore year.
• Entry requirements and capacity: the Programs of Study states “There are no prerequisites for the major.” The department and catalog pages we read state no GPA threshold or enrollment cap for the major. The FAQ says students who start late must discuss their plan with the director of undergraduate studies (DUS), since finishing in less time may or may not be feasible.
• Switching in: the pages describe no separate internal-transfer procedure. Asked whether students must meet the DUS to discuss an economics or Econ & Math plan, a double major or switching majors, the FAQ answers no: the first line of advising is the economics advisers assigned to your residential college and the peer mentors, the undergraduate registrar answers most questions, and the DUS is for exceptional cases.
• Rules: courses taken Credit/D/Fail, Residential College Seminars and First Year Seminars (ECON 0001/0002) do not count toward the major. If you skip or Cr/D/F introductory micro or macro, you must take an additional elective.

3. Prerequisites and courses

• At application: the admissions and department pages we read do not list required high school courses for economics; ask Yale’s admissions office. The catalog notes only that the introductory economics courses have no mathematics requirement so that all first-year students can take them.
• Math requirement: MATH 1100/1110 (together one course), 1120, 1150, 1160 or ENAS 1510, or the “preferred” MATH 1180 or 1200 (which emphasize economics applications); any math course numbered 2000 or higher also works. Students are advised to finish it in the first year; those planning graduate study in economics should add linear algebra and real analysis.
• Introductory courses: microeconomics ECON 1108, 1110 or 1115; macroeconomics ECON 1111 or 1116. The catalog says 1115, 1116 and 1117 are lecture courses with discussion sections, 1110 and 1111 are smaller and more discussion-oriented, and ECON 1108 may suit students with little calculus. The department recommends at least two introductory economics courses in the first year. The catalog says introductory micro should come before macro and ECON 1117, while the department FAQ says introductory micro is a prerequisite for ECON 1117 but introductory macro is not.
• Econometrics: ECON 1117 (applied and data-oriented), ECON 2123 (the next applied course, highly recommended for students planning a senior essay) or ECON 2136 (theoretical, requires ECON 2135, and required for Economics & Mathematics). The FAQ says no other course, including S&DS 2300, can satisfy this requirement. A senior essay requires two econometrics courses.
• Electives and advanced courses: the department’s requirements page says electives are ECON courses numbered 2123 or above, while the Programs of Study says 2000 or above. The two advanced courses are numbered 4000–4491 on the department page and 4400–4491 in the Programs of Study; at least one must be taken in senior year. Enrollment in seminars and advanced lectures is limited, with priority for senior economics majors.
• AP, IB and placement: the department has no placement exam; it gives each incoming first-year a personal recommendation based on admissions data and a Math & Science Survey, expected in early August. The catalog says that, in general, a 5 on AP Microeconomics or Macroeconomics plus a 5 on AP Calculus BC leads to a recommendation to place out of the corresponding introductory course and start with the intermediate course; if you skip it you must take an extra elective. The pages we read do not say how IB or A-level results are treated or whether credit is granted on entry; check the Programs of Study and the department’s first-year page.
• First year: the department recommends at least two introductory economics courses and completing the math requirement; students planning a two-term econometrics sequence are urged to start it by the fall of sophomore year (the catalog’s wording).

4. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Three timelines: Single-Choice Early Action (non-binding) is due November 1 with decisions in mid-December; the QuestBridge National College Match is due November 1 and is binding; Regular Decision is due January 2 with decisions in late March; the reply deadline is May 1. Yale says no timeline gives an advantage. Single-Choice Early Action applicants may not apply Early Action or Early Decision elsewhere except in the exceptions the page lists (non-binding rolling programs, non-binding early programs at public institutions, programs that notify after January 1, and institutions outside the U.S.), and applicants denied in Early Action cannot reapply in Regular Decision that cycle. The timelines page shows no year; check that the dates are for fall 2027 entry.
• Application platforms: the Common Application, the Coalition Application on SCOIR or the QuestBridge Application — one only.
• Materials: letters from two teachers who recently taught you core academic subjects (languages, math, sciences, social studies; teachers of electives in these areas are eligible) and one from your college counselor (or a school administrator if there is none); a School Report with official transcript; a Mid-Year Report for seniors; and SAT or ACT scores.
• Testing: the SAT or ACT is required, with no preference between them. For the ACT, report English, Math, Reading and the Composite; Science and Writing are optional. Superscoring is allowed. Scores may be self-reported but official scores matching them are required before enrolling, and discrepancies can lead to withdrawal of an offer. Tests taken in October or November are generally available for Early Action, and January or February tests for Regular Decision. The pages we read state no minimum score. You may report AP or IB scores of your choosing (encouraged but not required) and may submit predicted IB scores.
• Essays: the academic-areas short answer above, three short takes of 200 characters (about 35 words) each, and one essay of up to 400 words (a choice of three prompts). Applicants may also submit supplements in Visual Art, Dance, Music, Film or STEM research.
• Application fee: the amount is not stated on the pages we read. Yale does not issue its own fee waivers; you apply through your platform’s criteria. The QuestBridge application is free, and U.S. veterans and active-duty service members receive automatic waivers.
• Interview: an alumni interview is not described on the pages we read (InitialView, one of the English-test options, is a video interview; see Section 6).

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Cost: Yale College lists one price with no in-state or out-of-state split and no separate tuition for economics. The 2026–27 estimate: tuition $72,500, student activity fee $185, housing $12,080, food $9,520, books and supplies $1,000 and personal expenses $2,700; travel is estimated separately by home address.
• Aid: admission is need-blind and aid meets 100% of demonstrated need, entirely in scholarships rather than loans. Yale says it awards all undergraduate aid on the basis of need; the pages we read mention no economics-specific scholarship. Yale states that families with incomes below $100,000 (typical assets) qualify for a zero-parent-share award covering tuition and fees, housing, food and travel, plus hospitalization coverage and a $2,000 start-up grant in the first year, and that families below $200,000 (typical assets) receive a scholarship covering at least tuition. It also lists an average need-based scholarship of $75,220 and says 88% of Yale College graduates have no student loan debt.
• Applying for aid: U.S. citizens and permanent residents submit the FAFSA (code 001426), the CSS Profile (code 3987) and parent tax returns through IDOC, by November 1 for Early Action and QuestBridge and February 15 for Regular Decision.
• In-state preference or guaranteed admission: none is described on the pages we read.

6. International applicants

• Same process: international applicants use the same platforms and meet the same requirements. Yale says it considers all applicants without regard to ability to pay and meets 100% of every family’s demonstrated need.
• Testing: international applicants must submit the SAT or ACT; Yale says scores from other exams, including international leaving exams or English proficiency exams, do not fulfill this requirement.
• English tests: required for non-native speakers who have not had at least two years of secondary education in an English-medium school. Accepted: TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge English, Duolingo English Test or InitialView. No minimum is stated; Yale gives the scores of its “most competitive applicants”: TOEFL 5 or higher (tests after January 21, 2026) or at least 100 (before); IELTS 7 or higher; Cambridge 185 or higher on C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or B2 First; Duolingo at least 120; InitialView interviews are not scored. The pages list no country-based exemptions.
• Documents: all materials must be in English; documents in other languages need a certified translation, and self-translations are not accepted.
• Aid: international students are eligible for the same need-based aid as domestic applicants; awards include allowances for housing, meals and two round trips a year, and take into account the relative difference between the U.S. economy and the student’s home country. Enrolled international students need not reapply each year. Aid documents are due December 1 for international Early Action applicants (November 1 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents) and February 15 for Regular Decision. Proof-of-funds details beyond this are not described on the pages we read; ask Yale’s undergraduate financial aid office.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admissions pages we read do not mention the Gaokao, and we found no China-specific page. The international page says other exams, including international leaving exams, do not fulfill the testing requirement, so the SAT or ACT is still required. Whether and how Gaokao results can be submitted as supplementary information is not published; contact Yale admissions.
• Transcripts: your counselor or school official submits the School Report and official transcript through the application platform, including courses taken at other secondary schools or colleges; Chinese-language records need a certified English translation. The pages do not name a credential-evaluation agency.
• English: if your secondary schooling was not in English, submit an English test as described in Section 6.
• International curricula: IB and AP scores may be reported, and IB predicted scores may be included; A-levels are not mentioned on the pages we read.

8. Senior essay, research and work

• Senior essay: optional, but required for Distinction. The department says it must contain original research or analysis, which can be theoretical, empirical or computational; there is no page or format requirement and essays generally run about 30 pages; it can be one or two terms and most economics majors choose two. Writing one requires two econometrics courses, one of which must be ECON 2123, ECON 2136 or a 4000-level applied econometrics course. Research expenses can receive up to $500, provided the student has made a good-faith effort to obtain Yale College funding.
• Research assistantships: the department’s Tobin Research Assistantships let undergraduates work for a professor, about 10 hours a week for 12 weeks per term at $16.50 an hour, renewable for up to one more term. The page also lists external and internal employment opportunities and a pre-doctoral fellows program for people with bachelor’s or master’s degrees; details are on the department site.

9. Transfer students

• Eligibility: the transfer program admits students entering as second-term first-years, sophomores or juniors. Applicants must have at least two terms (or three quarters) of college-level enrollment and at least four transferable course credits, normally between 8 and 18. A degree takes 36 course credits; up to 18 may transfer, at least 18 must be earned at Yale, and transfers must enroll for at least two years (four terms). Those with less than two terms should apply as first-years.
• Deadlines: the application is due March 1 through the Transfer Common App; financial aid documents and standardized tests are due April 1, the mid-term report April 20, decisions come in early May and replies are due in late May. Fall entry only (the page shows no year; check it is for fall 2027).
• Materials: academic evaluations, a college report, transcripts, and SAT or ACT scores.
• Choosing a major: Yale says most majors are open to transfer students but some departments have rules or prerequisites that may prevent some from finishing the major in the semesters available; see the Programs of Study.
• Economics credit: the transfer page lists economics among subjects whose courses are usually transferable. The economics department adds that core courses (intermediate micro, intermediate macro and econometrics) must be taken at Yale; outside courses cannot satisfy the math requirement or the two advanced courses; transfer students should contact the economics undergraduate registrar for the transfer-credit forms, with the same criteria as other outside courses. Outside credit is generally limited to two courses, with an A or B and contact hours at least equal to the Yale course; Economics & Mathematics accepts outside courses only as electives. The department says business- or management-oriented courses and courses overlapping heavily with Yale economics courses are unlikely to be approved.
• General credit rules: transfer students need A or B in at least three-quarters of transferable courses and no grade below C in the rest. AP, IB, CLEP and dual-enrollment credits earned before high-school graduation are not transferable; online courses count only under limited conditions. Admissions does not review transfer credit before evaluating an application.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Submit by November 1 (Single-Choice Early Action) or January 2 (Regular Decision) with transcripts and three letters (two teachers, one counselor); the SAT or ACT is required
• The pages list no required high school courses for economics, so ask admissions; economics is not chosen on the application, you declare by the end of sophomore year, and the major itself has no prerequisites
• For aid, submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile and parent tax returns by November 1 (Early Action) or February 15 (Regular Decision)

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline as domestic applicants; no other exam replaces the SAT or ACT; ask admissions how the Gaokao may be used
• If you are a non-native speaker without two years of English-medium secondary school, submit TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge, Duolingo or InitialView; attach certified translations of non-English documents
• Apply for aid the same way; international Early Action aid documents are due December 1

Transfer students:

• Complete at least two terms; apply by March 1 for fall entry only; plan to take intermediate micro, intermediate macro and econometrics at Yale

Sources: Yale University, Economics: undergraduate; Economics: major requirements; Economics: FAQ; Economics: first-year placement; Economics: courses taken outside Yale; Economics: senior essay; Economics: employment and research opportunities; Programs of Study: Economics; First-year applicants; Timelines; Requirements; Essay topics; Standardized testing; International students; Affordability; 2026-27 cost of attendance; Transfer; Transfer eligibility and credits; Transfer timeline. The timelines and transfer pages show no year, while the essay-topics page is labeled 2026–2027; check Yale’s website to confirm the dates are for fall 2027 entry.